Lost, Alone and Found.
Author's note: I've decided to post the third chapter today, because I don't want anyone to continue to cry and worry all day. As usual, I only own the ocs(mainly Reno's family and my main antagonists). Final Fantasy VII belongs to Square Enix.
CH3: Kidnapped and Saved.
Seven years later...
Snapping his eyes open, Reno, now fifteen years old, sat up from the floor in the small warehouse he took shelter in ever since the death of his parents. Each night, ever since the tragic end of his family, Reno had to relive the memory in form of nightmares a week after his birthday every year, despite trying to forget his past and move on. He managed to do well, despite having to steal to survive and avoid the gangs and the Turks who clearly were both after him.
He still loved to cause a bit of trouble, but avoided as much as he could for his own safety. He owed his family this much, as his parents would want him to survive. It was still painful that they were gone. Tears started to form again, and he wiped them away in frustration. Reno should've gotten used to it by now. It was all in the past, and he could only trust himself now. Well, not everyone in the slums were assholes, but he couldn't trust anyone, and ShinRa wouldn't give a damn. They were far too up their asses to fill up their ego.
Deciding that fresh air-well, air outside of his warehouse, would make him feel better, Reno puts on his goggles that he got for himself on his 14th birthday last year, places them on his forehead which now holds up his fringe of his red-spiky hair, then puts on his jacket that had a hood to hide his face as means to protect himself from being recongisied, and then made his way through the slums he spend the last seven years living in. Nobody even borthered in taking him in, so he in turn decided not to try.
The only ones who want to take him in are the gang that murdered his parents and would want to murder anyone including ShinRa, but Reno sure as hell wasn't even considering in joining them. If he had to choose, he'd rather work for the Turks if they decided to hire him.
Speaking of the Turks, a familiar one had just arrived in the slums right now. At the sight of the Turk who Reno recongised as Tseng, the redhead smirked.
"Lemme guess, out and about to catch bad guys again?" Reno greeted as he and Tseng stopped and stared at each other. This was a normal route ever since they first met years ago, the same day that Richard and Alana Sinclair had died. Once and a while, the Turks would be sent here to capture thieves who stole ShinRa property for Anti-ShinRa groups.
The Wutaiian sighed. Having just turned twenty, Tseng, each time meeting the red-haired boy when he came here on a mission, was the one who had each time seen Reno grow up from a little boy he met into a fifteen year old young man the redhead was now today. Tseng had to admit, Reno was close to his height now by an inch. Thankfully, the redhead never told anyone that they knew each other, and he never gave Tseng any trouble either. Reno knew better than to mess with the Turks.
"What was your first clue?" asked Tseng.
The teen just shrugged, "You end up coming here to catch bad guys or for somethin' else which the latter is pretty much boring and I don't even borther in asking about that."
Reno knew more than that, however, as the Turks were notorious for killing anyone, even innocent people. But he didn't mention that. He wanted to stay out of it as much as possible, even if he sees and chats with Tseng everytime the Wutaiian came around. Reno wasn't scared of him right now.
"I see." Tseng thought. "However, today it's more of infitrating the enemy. These men are very dangerous, so, I want you to stay away from this group as much as possible."
"That's no problem, 'cuz I try to avoid every gang 24/7." Reno replied. "Same thing with the Turks, yo."
"Then why do you always greet me?" The Turk inquired.
"Because I like you." Reno answered with a easy smile. "You let me live, Tseng, and I appreciate that."
That was true enough. Tseng had never found himself to shoot the life out of Reno, who still kept his promise and hasn't borthered him much except in greetings. The Wutaiian however, had sometimes noticed Reno's skills while the latter was oblivious to the Turk watching him. The skills of climbing the most dangerous and impossible places that can never to climbed up, the skills of being very fast that surprisingly half-matched Sephiroth's speed, and the recent skills of street fighting, and Tseng had noticed that Reno had a liking to martial arts.
If anything, those skills could get Reno somewhere more than just remain here in the slums. The boy was self-taught, which was impressive. All these skills could get him into the Turks.
Shaking away such silly thought, Tseng nodded, "You steal and fight others, yet you avoid both the Turks and the anti-ShinRa groups to stay alive. Reno, you really should do something about your life, and find something much more."
"Easier said than done." Reno sighed, also noting that Tseng had seen him steal and fight, his smile fading. "In the Slums, nobody gives a s*** to hire me for a job, and I've gotten over it. I'll figure somethin' out."
"Then I advise you to stay away from this group." Tseng replied, "They are known as 'Bacterialis', and those people are very dangerous."
"Since when were you worried about me?" Reno's smirk returned as he crossed his arms.
Tseng tried to hide the smile and hide his chuckle. "Ever heard of the phrase, 'Curiousity killed the cat'?"
Reno laughed at the joke, which was rare coming from Tseng, "Yeah, and it was the sastifastion that brought it back."
With that, the two departed and went their ways, for Tseng who continued on with his mission, and for Reno who just continued on to ease off the memories. But what Reno didn't know that the group that he tried so hard to avoid all these years, had finally spotted him.
But what they didn't know, is that Tseng found out their hide-out and went back to report to Veld.
Unaware that he was in danger, Reno went to his usual spot on a roof which was in sector 7, looking at the still opened sky which was in a point of closing, sighing as he sat on the edge, his legs dangling from high up. He came here every year when he had nightmares of his past or to just be alone.
This time however, it wasn't helping. He remembered the last thing his father tried to tell him, and never got the chance. At least Reno's parents know that he loved him, and he was glad that they told him that they loved him too, and that they had managed to have one last goodbye.
Why had those gangs had to kill them? Reno felt his bottom lip quiver, and he knew he was on a verge of crying again. Sighing, he just looked to the ground below him, thankful that he didn't have a fear of heights, as he still dreams of flying a helicopter, even though now it was just a childhood dream.
He failed to notice that someone was approaching him from behind with a pole in hand, until he froze when he heard an unfamiliar voice speak evilly, "Hello, Slum-Rat."
Quickly turning, the last thing Reno saw was man in a beard before he was hit by the pole and his world went black.
Feeling pain on his head, Reno's world was returning to him after goodness knows how long. Groaning and wanting to wake up, he blinked his eyes open, his vision a bit blurry, before he focused on getting it clear. Once he did, however, he gasped at there were several men surrounding him. He tried to move to escape, but found that he couldn't. Looking down, Reno realised that he was tied up to a piller in tight ropes, and his arms were covered so he couldn't cut it behind him.
On top of everything else, he recongised this men, including the leader who was approaching, chuckling evilly. Reno struggled and squirmed to get himself out, but the ropes were tight. The dark skinned man stood towering over Reno who looked up, and felt both fear and anger at the same time.
These were the guys who destroyed his life as a child and forced him to live out on the streets for seven long and struggling years, the ones who wanted him.
Sa'luk and his men had finally captured him.
"Good evening, child." Sa'luk said with a sinister smile. "I have been wanting to meet you for years, and now, I finally found you." he then chuckled and observed the teen who tried to flinch his face away from the sinister man. "You have grown up into a fine young man." Sa'luk continued, not getting angry, "One who made me lose paitents!" and with punched Reno hard into the stomach, causing the teen to gasp in pain.
He then held a painful grip on Reno's hair and forced the redhead to face him. "YOU KEPT ON HIDING!? HUH! HUH!?" Sa'luk shouted dangerously.
Not getting an answer, Sa'luk punched Reno in the face while letting go of his hair. The teen slumped in pain, gasping for breath, before he looked up and glared at him. "You killed my parents." he muttered in anger, accusingly.
"Because they refused to give you up." Sa'luk replied. "They wouldn't surrender you, and they died because of it."
"I would've said no in the first place." Reno pointed out, "I know that you want me for your-your stupid anti-shinra group! I know that you want use me to get rid of the company and anyone else in the world!" he yelled. "Well, guess what, yo? I won't join you assholes. If I had to choose, I'd rather just die."
In response, he was punched into the stomach again, and Reno grunted in agony, and he could taste blood that was forming in his mouth. He knew that he'll die, even though he didn't want to, but he didn't want the world to be at risk because of him. It's either he dies, or the entire world is in danger, all because of him.
Making up his decision, Reno just waited.
"You will join me, or you will die." Sa'luk warned coldly, "Which will it be, boy?"
Reno glared at him, answering, "Kill me if you want to, I don't care. Just so you know, ShinRa will end up beating you losers anyway. Besides, I got nothin' to live for."
Unsastified with the answer, Sa'luk held out his right hand while ordering one of his men next to him, "Give me a sword so I can slice this difficult brat's head clean off."
His lacky did as he was told, and Sa'luk was now holding a sword that wasn't built in Midgar, and he slowly approached Reno who tensed, fear filling his heart, but he did his best to brace himself as he knew that this was it;
This is the end of him.
As Sa'luk held a tight grip on Reno's hair, Reno shut his eyes as he shivered, terrifyed out of his mind and did his best to prepare for his own death.
However, his death was denied, because all of the sudden, the warehouse doors which the group and Reno were in were blasted open, and several of the men were blown and killed instantly, before more were shot dead, as the Turks along with Infertymen arrived and killed the group. Sa'luk angered yet showing no concern of his own men, began to procced in killing Reno, when the former was shot in the head himself.
Shocked and confused at the unexpected bullet that no doubt made a hole in his skull and was stuck right into his brain, Sa'luk just collasped onto the ground, dead, while his sword clattered onto the ground, letting go of Reno's hair once more. Reno opened his eyes, realising that he was still alive, and looked to see Sa'luk's corpse, the head bleeding, and leaking brain-guts, which made the teen cringe in fear and disgust.
Reno didn't realise that his tears were sliding from his eyes and onto his cheeks like a stream, as he was still dazed and shocked that he was alright, not even paying attention to the chaos in front of him.
Suddenly he heard guns loaded up, and when Reno looked, he realised that the ShinRa army were aiming their weapons at him, ready to fire. Realising that he'll die as well, he closed his eyes and prepared himself for his death for real.
"Don't shoot." came a familiar Wutaiian voice.
The guards looked at the Turk, as Reno opened his eyes again, and was surprised that Tseng was there. The redhead then realised that the men who tried to get him to join him were the ones the Turk told him about earlier. The 'Bacterialis'. The same ones who murdered his parents.
"Sir?" a tall, bald Turk inquired, wearing sunglasses even in doors. He had a strong build which told Reno that the the guy's skill was strength, and has a foot taller than Tseng. His name was Rude.
"I know him." Tseng explained, "He means no harm. Lower your weapons, and take the surviving members to the cells. I'll handle the boy myself."
Seeing that the Turk had met the child before, the Infertymen nodded, "Yes sir." and they, along with some of the Turks, save for Rude who stayed behind with Tseng, had began to drag the severally injured and/or unconscious remaining members of the Anti-ShinRa, while the other two Turks approached Reno who tensed, not knowing what they planned on doing with him now that things had calmed down.
"Rude, untie the boy." Tseng ordered.
"Yes, sir." Rude nodded, then proceeded in cutting the ropes which held Reno who was surprised that they were freeing him, and that they had saved his life. The Turks were amazing. Much more so than the rumors say.
"Reno, are you alright?" Tseng asked.
Reno nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little freaked out that I almost lost my head, yo." he admitted, then stepped forward a bit once he was finally free.
"What happened?"
"One of those bastards knocked me out, and the next thing I knew, I was tied up here when those guys wanted me to join them." Reno explained, "When I said no, they decided to kill me."
Tseng stepped closer to the young teen, and questioned, "Why didn't you say anything that you knew them?"
Reno's eyes widened in shock, and realization. "You were there listening behind the door?" he asked.
"It's what we do." Rude answered as he stood behind the teen who looked at him and blinked in surprise, amazed on how tall the Turk was.
Realising that he had been caught, Reno turned back to Tseng and sighed. "I...because I thought that you didn't care." he began, "Not that you do, but, I didn't to brag about my sob story, like when those guys killed my parents just after we met that day. That's why I avoided the gangs, because I didn't want to join them, because I knew that spelled bad news."
Tseng and Rude glanced at each other, realising that the Bactericalis were targeting Reno because of the boy's skills, even at the age of eight. They murdered his parents so they could raise him themselves, but Reno managed to avoid them for seven years, and even as a teenager, he still refused to join them, because he didn't want to join those who had destroyed everything in his life. This was the reason why the redhead had lived life on his own; he only stole and fought just to survive.
Both of them looked at Reno who glanced at the floor, seemingly shaking and was on the verge of breaking down, but he did his best to hold it in. Tseng felt sympathy that he hasn't felt much in his life, and even Rude felt sorry for Reno. Troublemaker or not, Reno was an orphan, having tried so hard to survive and had came so close in losing his own life. It also amazed them that he refused to join the gang and had instead chosen death, because he didn't want the world to be at risk, even though it's clear that he didn't want to die either, but he preferred the latter rather than the former.
Reno had found some courage and bravery to risk his life for the sake of ShinRa and the world, even if he was just a Slum-Rat.
Which made Tseng make his final choice with the boy.
"Reno, do you want to join the Turks?" Tseng inquired.
Both Reno and Rude glanced at Tseng in confusion and surprise at what the Wutaiian just said.
"W-what?" Reno asked.
"Do you want to join the Turks?" Tseng questioned again.
Blinking, Reno said, "You can't be serious."
"This is not a joke." Tseng deadpanned.
"But...I'm just a slum rat." Reno pointed out, as Rude placed a hand onto the boy's shoulder, as the taller Turk understood where his surperior was coming from.
Tseng then said, "Reno, you made the decision to risk your life to the sake of the world, and I said this before; your skills don't belong in the slums, you need something much more to accomplish. It's your skills that will get you far into the Turks. However, I won't force you; it's your choice."
Reno hesitated. The Turks did save his life. However, they also killed as well, which made things complicated. On the other hand, Reno knew Tseng since he was eight years old, and this other guy-Rude, was it?-had freed him from his rope trap. He then realised that he wanted to show his gratitude, and that Reno didn't want to spend the rest of his life in the slums. He want to fly a chopper, see the world, do something useful. He wanted to move on.
His parents would want him to make the right decision, even if he would become a dangerous person himself, but Reno wanted to make himself useful.
So that's how it is, huh?
Sighing, Reno finally answered and made his decision.
Reno's answer shall be revealed in the next chapter. Continue the reviews and keep in touch.